[Vision2020] Strategic Retreat or a Military Humilation?

Sun, 2 May 2004 08:33:26 -0700

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washingtonpost.com
'We Won': Fallujah Rejoices in Withdrawal

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Naseer Nouri
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, May 2, 2004; Page A01

FALLUJAH, Iraq, May 1 -- Covering their faces with checkered head scarves,
militiamen loyal to a former Iraqi army general jubilantly took to the streets
of this battle-scarred city Saturday to celebrate what they called a triumph
over withdrawing U.S. Marines.

As the militiamen drove through Fallujah in trucks and congregated on deserted
street corners, residents flashed V-for-victory signs and mosques broadcast
celebratory messages proclaiming triumph over the Americans.

Although the militiamen were scheduled to take over checkpoints and patrol
duties from Marine units Friday, many of those tasks appeared to go unfulfilled
Saturday. Several of the militiamen, clad in street clothes and toting battered
AK-47 rifles, said they were still waiting for orders from their commanders. But
as they waited, many said their first priority was to rejoice.

"We won," said one of the militiamen, a former soldier who gave his name only as
Abu Abdullah, meaning the father of Abdullah. "We didn't want the Americans to
enter the city and we succeeded."

A few miles away at the headquarters of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Lt.
Gen. James T. Conway, the top Marine commander in Iraq, also praised the turn of
events in Fallujah. He told reporters that the new Iraqi force, which he
authorized in an effort to quell insurgent activity, "marked the formation of a
military partnership that has the potential to bring a lasting, durable climate
of peace and stability."

A senior U.S. military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said
the Marine command was not alarmed by the gleeful reaction in the city. Of more
significance, the official said, is whether the militiamen will succeed in
restoring security to a level sufficient enough for U.S. troops to enter the
city without being attacked.

"If we can drive into town shoulder to shoulder with legitimate Iraqi
authorities and we can go down and start delivering humanitarian aid . . . to a
city that has been left in the cold for the last year, that's our victory," the
official said. "Owning a rubbled city gets us nowhere."

In Baghdad, the chief spokesman for the U.S. military command in Iraq, Army
Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, told the Agence France-Presse news service that the
U.S-led occupation authority and the Iraqi Defense Ministry had not endorsed the
Iraqi general selected by Conway to lead the force in Fallujah. Kimmitt said
Conway's choice, former Maj. Gen. Jassim Mohammed Saleh, would undergo a full
background check.

Saleh, who is from Fallujah but had been living in Baghdad, served as the
commanding general of the Iraqi army's 38th Infantry Division before the U.S.
administrator of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, dissolved the Iraqi army almost a year
ago. Earlier in his military career, Saleh served in the Republican Guard, an
elite branch of the army used at times to suppress internal dissent by former
president Saddam Hussein.

"I would suspect that the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force doesn't have access to
all the background information on General Saleh or any of the other leadership"
of the new force in Fallujah, Kimmitt told Agence France-Presse. "It will be
important for all of the leaders to go through a vetting and approval process
conducted by the ministry of defense and the coalition."

Conway said his staff had already vetted the leaders of the new force, which the
Marines are calling the 1st Battalion of the Fallujah Brigade. The senior
military official said the Marines "ran their names though databases -- both
military and nonmilitary services of the U.S. government and nothing detrimental
came up."

"Most of these guys may not be squeaky clean, but they're pretty clean," Conway
said.

Saleh's force is supposed to grow to as many as 1,100 men by midweek, Conway
said. Saleh has already assembled 300 men and intended to double that figure by
Monday. But members of the force said that only 160 participants had been
selected, all of them officers.

Several participants said other members would be chosen by the officers and
would consist largely of people from the officers' neighborhoods. It was not
clear whether participants would be required to be former Iraqi soldiers, as
Marine commanders have said. It also appeared unlikely that individual members
would be screened by the Marine command, which has the names of only a
half-dozen leaders of the force.

Conway acknowledged that some of the participants would be people who fought
against his Marines over the past month. "We think that some of them were inside
the city and prepared to defend the city," he said.

But Conway said he would not allow in people with "blood on their hands," nor
would he "make any deals with hard-core elements inside the city," including
foreign fighters. He said the new force would pursue the foreign fighters.

"They understand our view that these people must be killed or captured," he
said.

As they conduct those operations, Conway said members of the new force would
have to abide by the same rules of engagement and laws of warfare used by U.S.
troops. But he also said the force would not need to obtain U.S. approval to
conduct missions. Instead, the general said, the force would operate similarly
to military units from other nations, which have significant autonomy in their
areas of responsibility and report directly to regional commanders such as
Conway.

Inside Fallujah, however, members of the new force -- who spoke on the condition
of anonymity because they said they were under orders not to talk to
reporters -- expressed more desire to negotiate with the foreign fighters than
to battle them.

"The resistance will not fight us. They will not shoot at us," said a former
army colonel who stood next to seven other militiamen, their faces covered by
scarves. Instead of confronting them, the former colonel said he expected many
of the foreign fighters to leave Fallujah and conduct operations in other parts
of Iraq. Military officials estimate that there are 200 foreign fighters in the
city.

The senior military official said the migration of foreign militants out of
Fallujah was the top concern of Marine commanders. But he added, "They're more
vulnerable now that you got them on the run."

The former colonel and other members of the new force said the key to restoring
security in the city was not more raids or checkpoints but the exclusion of U.S.
forces. "If the American army doesn't enter the city, nobody will shoot at
them," the former colonel said.

But Conway said the pullback of Marine units from positions in the city did not
mean Marines would avoid the city in the future. He said he planned -- as a test
of the ability of the new forces to restore order -- to have Marines drive into
the city in the coming days.

Two Marine units -- the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and the 2nd
Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment -- withdrew from their positions in the southern
part of Fallujah on Friday. The 1st Battalion had moved back to a base about
five miles from the city, while the 2nd Battalion has moved south of the city.
Two other battalions remain to the north and east of Fallujah. Their movement
away from city will depend on improvements in security, the officials said.

Meanwhile, attacks against U.S. soldiers and foreign contractors working for the
occupation authority continued unabated following the bloodiest month for U.S.
forces since President Bush declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq a
year ago.

One U.S. soldier and two contractors were killed Saturday in separate attacks
near the northern city of Mosul, while another U.S. soldier died of wounds
sustained in a roadside bombing a day earlier. The military also announced
Saturday that two U.S. sailors were killed the day before in an attack in Anbar
province in western Iraq. Sailors are sometimes used for logistics or hospital
work.

In Najaf, the southern shrine city, the standoff between U.S. forces and a
firebrand cleric, Moqtada Sadr, paused while a delegation of tribal leaders and
police arranged a temporary truce.

Sadr, who is wanted by U.S. forces on murder charges, commands a militia known
as the Mahdi Army, which has controlled Najaf and the adjoining city of Kufa for
weeks. U.S. forces encircling the area are seeking to avoid a military
confrontation in a city holy to Iraq's Shiite majority after weeks of sporadic
fighting. The truce, reportedly for three days, will allow talks to continue.

Correspondents Sewell Chan and Scott Wilson in Baghdad contributed to this
report.

© 2004 The Washington Post Company

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<DIV><A href=3D"http://www.washingtonpost.com/"><FONT=20
face=3Dhelvetica,arial color=3D#000000 =
size=3D-1>washingtonpost.com </A>
'We Won': Fallujah Rejoices in =
Withdrawal 
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Naseer =
Nouri Washington Post=20
Foreign Service Sunday, May 2, 2004; Page A01 
<NITF>
FALLUJAH, Iraq, May 1 -- Covering their faces with checkered head =
scarves,=20
militiamen loyal to a former Iraqi army general jubilantly took to the =
streets=20
of this battle-scarred city Saturday to celebrate what they called a =
triumph=20
over withdrawing U.S. Marines.
As the militiamen drove through Fallujah in trucks and congregated on =

deserted street corners, residents flashed V-for-victory signs and =
mosques=20
broadcast celebratory messages proclaiming triumph over the =
Americans.
Although the militiamen were scheduled to take over checkpoints and =
patrol=20
duties from Marine units Friday, many of those tasks appeared to go =
unfulfilled=20
Saturday. Several of the militiamen, clad in street clothes and toting =
battered=20
AK-47 rifles, said they were still waiting for orders from their =
commanders. But=20
as they waited, many said their first priority was to rejoice.
"We won," said one of the militiamen, a former soldier who gave his =
name only=20
as Abu Abdullah, meaning the father of Abdullah. "We didn't want the =
Americans=20
to enter the city and we succeeded."
A few miles away at the headquarters of the 1st Marine Expeditionary =
Force,=20
Lt. Gen. James T. Conway, the top Marine commander in Iraq, also praised =
the=20
turn of events in Fallujah. He told reporters that the new Iraqi force, =
which he=20
authorized in an effort to quell insurgent activity, "marked the =
formation of a=20
military partnership that has the potential to bring a lasting, durable =
climate=20
of peace and stability."
A senior U.S. military official, speaking on the condition of =
anonymity, said=20
the Marine command was not alarmed by the gleeful reaction in the city. =
Of more=20
significance, the official said, is whether the militiamen will succeed =
in=20
restoring security to a level sufficient enough for U.S. troops to enter =
the=20
city without being attacked.
"If we can drive into town shoulder to shoulder with legitimate Iraqi =

authorities and we can go down and start delivering humanitarian aid . . =
. to a=20
city that has been left in the cold for the last year, that's our =
victory," the=20
official said. "Owning a rubbled city gets us nowhere."
In Baghdad, the chief spokesman for the U.S. military command in =
Iraq, Army=20
Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, told the Agence France-Presse news service that =
the=20
U.S-led occupation authority and the Iraqi Defense Ministry had not =
endorsed the=20
Iraqi general selected by Conway to lead the force in Fallujah. Kimmitt =
said=20
Conway's choice, former Maj. Gen. Jassim Mohammed Saleh, would undergo a =
full=20
background check.
Saleh, who is from Fallujah but had been living in Baghdad, served as =
the=20
commanding general of the Iraqi army's 38th Infantry Division before the =
U.S.=20
administrator of Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, dissolved the Iraqi army almost a =
year=20
ago. Earlier in his military career, Saleh served in the Republican =
Guard, an=20
elite branch of the army used at times to suppress internal dissent by =
former=20
president Saddam Hussein.
"I would suspect that the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force doesn't have =
access=20
to all the background information on General Saleh or any of the other=20
leadership" of the new force in Fallujah, Kimmitt told Agence =
France-Presse. "It=20
will be important for all of the leaders to go through a vetting and =
approval=20
process conducted by the ministry of defense and the coalition."
Conway said his staff had already vetted the leaders of the new =
force, which=20
the Marines are calling the 1st Battalion of the Fallujah Brigade. The =
senior=20
military official said the Marines "ran their names though databases -- =
both=20
military and nonmilitary services of the U.S. government and nothing =
detrimental=20
came up."
"Most of these guys may not be squeaky clean, but they're pretty =
clean,"=20
Conway said.
Saleh's force is supposed to grow to as many as 1,100 men by midweek, =
Conway=20
said. Saleh has already assembled 300 men and intended to double that =
figure by=20
Monday. But members of the force said that only 160 participants had =
been=20
selected, all of them officers.
Several participants said other members would be chosen by the =
officers and=20
would consist largely of people from the officers' neighborhoods. It was =
not=20
clear whether participants would be required to be former Iraqi =
soldiers, as=20
Marine commanders have said. It also appeared unlikely that individual =
members=20
would be screened by the Marine command, which has the names of only a=20
half-dozen leaders of the force.
Conway acknowledged that some of the participants would be people who =
fought=20
against his Marines over the past month. "We think that some of them =
were inside=20
the city and prepared to defend the city," he said.
But Conway said he would not allow in people with "blood on their =
hands," nor=20
would he "make any deals with hard-core elements inside the city," =
including=20
foreign fighters. He said the new force would pursue the foreign =
fighters.
"They understand our view that these people must be killed or =
captured," he=20
said.
As they conduct those operations, Conway said members of the new =
force would=20
have to abide by the same rules of engagement and laws of warfare used =
by U.S.=20
troops. But he also said the force would not need to obtain U.S. =
approval to=20
conduct missions. Instead, the general said, the force would operate =
similarly=20
to military units from other nations, which have significant autonomy in =
their=20
areas of responsibility and report directly to regional commanders such =
as=20
Conway.
Inside Fallujah, however, members of the new force -- who spoke on =
the=20
condition of anonymity because they said they were under orders not to =
talk to=20
reporters -- expressed more desire to negotiate with the foreign =
fighters than=20
to battle them.
"The resistance will not fight us. They will not shoot at us," said a =
former=20
army colonel who stood next to seven other militiamen, their faces =
covered by=20
scarves. Instead of confronting them, the former colonel said he =
expected many=20
of the foreign fighters to leave Fallujah and conduct operations in =
other parts=20
of Iraq. Military officials estimate that there are 200 foreign fighters =
in the=20
city.
The senior military official said the migration of foreign militants =
out of=20
Fallujah was the top concern of Marine commanders. But he added, =
"They're more=20
vulnerable now that you got them on the run."
The former colonel and other members of the new force said the key to =

restoring security in the city was not more raids or checkpoints but the =

exclusion of U.S. forces. "If the American army doesn't enter the city, =
nobody=20
will shoot at them," the former colonel said.</P>
<P>But Conway said the pullback of Marine units from positions in the =
city did=20
not mean Marines would avoid the city in the future. He said he planned =
-- as a=20
test of the ability of the new forces to restore order -- to have =
Marines drive=20
into the city in the coming days.</P>
<P>Two Marine units -- the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and the =
2nd=20
Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment -- withdrew from their positions in the =
southern=20
part of Fallujah on Friday. The 1st Battalion had moved back to a base =
about=20
five miles from the city, while the 2nd Battalion has moved south of the =
city.=20
Two other battalions remain to the north and east of Fallujah. Their =
movement=20
away from city will depend on improvements in security, the officials =
said.</P>
<P>Meanwhile, attacks against U.S. soldiers and foreign contractors =
working for=20
the occupation authority continued unabated following the bloodiest =
month for=20
U.S. forces since President Bush declared an end to major combat =
operations in=20
Iraq a year ago.</P>
<P>One U.S. soldier and two contractors were killed Saturday in separate =
attacks=20
near the northern city of Mosul, while another U.S. soldier died of =
wounds=20
sustained in a roadside bombing a day earlier. The military also =
announced=20
Saturday that two U.S. sailors were killed the day before in an attack =
in Anbar=20
province in western Iraq. Sailors are sometimes used for logistics or =
hospital=20
work.</P>
<P>In Najaf, the southern shrine city, the standoff between U.S. forces =
and a=20
firebrand cleric, Moqtada Sadr, paused while a delegation of tribal =
leaders and=20
police arranged a temporary truce.</P>
<P>Sadr, who is wanted by U.S. forces on murder charges, commands a =
militia=20
known as the Mahdi Army, which has controlled Najaf and the adjoining =
city of=20
Kufa for weeks. U.S. forces encircling the area are seeking to avoid a =
military=20
confrontation in a city holy to Iraq's Shiite majority after weeks of =
sporadic=20
fighting. The truce, reportedly for three days, will allow talks to=20
continue.</P>
<P><I>Correspondents Sewell Chan and Scott Wilson in Baghdad contributed =
to this=20
report.</I> </P>
<P></P></NITF>
<P>
<CENTER>=A9 2004 The Washington Post Company <!-- Google Links Begin =
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